If you began to install a mini habit after the Wonder & Wisdom shared two weeks ago, how's that going? I'd love to hear from you! Have you found that the smallness of the change helped it to stick? The research is clear that incorporating mini habits are much more effective in creating lasting change than big evolutionary ones. One baby step at a time with 100% commitment. This is how you get to be fail-proof… because it’s so small it’s completely doable, even when life has it's own plans for your day.

I was speaking with a local organization yesterday about habits and the shiny objectsthat really get in the way of their energy, productivity, and presence. Can you guess what the #1 thing was? You and your loved ones might be experiencing it (including the little ones). I’ll give you some hints. It starts with “i”, is meant to connect you but in reality primarily disconnects you… from your “I” and everyone else.

Take a peak at your phone habit. How many times a day do you check it or pick it up to see what's new or what you might be missing out on? If you’re the average person (which I know you’re not), it can be 80 times a day = every 12 minutes. Really? Wow!

Maybe you’re not in the 80 per day category but do a little experiment and start keeping track so you know your truth. Even if it isn’t that high, I’m sure you’ve felt the panic and pang of “where is it!?” when you misplaced it. What's going on there?

And what does all that digital checking in do? Messes up your brain, creates unwanted addictions, gets you lost when maybe you really just wanted to be on track, adds to eye and neck strain, damages hearing, and separates you from life as it’s actually happening around you. Yes, I’m sure you’re already aware of this… but where’s your positioning power regarding these harmful effects? Who is mastering who? (or is it "whom is mastering whom?"... I was never good at that.)

One of the huge impacts digital technology has is on sleep. The blue light in electronic devices (phone, iPads, Kindle, TV, laptop) interferes with the natural production of melatonin, a hormone that’s needed for the onset and regulation of sleep. When melatonin levels are off, you have a harder time getting to sleep and really don’t sleep as well. As I’ll share in a future Wonder & Wisdom, sleep is VITAL to a healthy life. (Ugly fact: one method of torture is to not allow people to sleep.)

This can come in the form of a digital sunset, i.e. a set bedtime for the electronics, say 7:00pm for starters. Just like you tuck your kids in bed, kiss them goodnight, and let them go to sleep so you can have delicious “me” time, the same thing can happen with your electronics (although pretty weird to be kissing it to sleep).

For the phone, shut it off and put it in a drawer… or in the safe on a shelf in the corner closet behind all the winter coats, offering you plenty of time to reflect “What’s SO important for me to be digging through this stuff to get to that?!?”. For the non-phone items, you get the idea. Put them away, shut them off, and turn to something that’s fun, calming, positive, uplifting, relaxing, and a transition from the regular go-go-go brain waves that creates never-ending, low-grade agitation.

You need a break. They need a break. Have only organic energy drive your transition from the busy day to a peaceful pause and a good night's rest.

Living a life more self-actualized and one that's more closely aligned with my heart-desired version of Self requires that I let go of that which no longer serves me and add that which offers great benefits and value. I see this up-leveling as a constant evolution - no end in sight - which helps me detach fromthings needing to be a certain way right now. Life is going to shift and change on me anyways - I can't help that - so staying flexible while remaining focused on +1 improvements keeps me on the right path. And, of course, self acceptance and love come along for the ride.

Change is constant… but not constantly easy. We get really excited in the beginning and spend lots of time, attention, and energy on burning the new shift into our routine… but somewhere along the way the excitement fades and we return to our old set-point. Who can blame us? It takes a lot of energy to keep excitement going and, at some point, we just fizzle out. It's not for lack of effort… but it is mistaken effort.

Instead of powerhousing it in the beginning, how about spreading the energy and diligence of effort over a stretch. Instead of committing to climbing a mountain, how about committing to taking one step on the journey of that mountain, one step every day. Just one.

Sure, it'll take you longer to get to the top but you'll actually get there!! And you'll feel energize and accomplished all along the way. Mountain climbed!

So look around and make note of a change you’d like to make. Then break it down into such a small habit that you can't call possibly fail. Install this new addition and do it, daily, without fail. One step = lifelong habit forming.

Need an example? You commit to running one mile every day. Awesome… but there'll be days when it probably won't happen (weather, schedule, being tired). But you can easily commit to running the length of your 10 foot driveway no matter what else is happening in your life. Every day, 10 feet. Woohoo!

And while you're there, you'll probably run more than the 10 feet (that's like you) so way to go in doing even more! But if you only did 10 feet, that's fantastic! You kept your commitment to self and you met your goal, no matter what. This is how we achieve great things and self actualize our plan.

So what will you install as a mini habit?

Go change! You can do this! And reach out if you need a little bit of guidance or refinement.